Mat



June 4, 1963 H. c. LUCAS ETAL 3,091,779

MAT

Filed June 15, 1961 INVENTORS HoM a C. Lucas THOMAS W. A2321.

ATTORNEY$ Filed June 16, 1961, Ser. No. 117,612 7 Claims. (Cl. 4-185) The present invention relates to a mat and more particularly to a bath mat and the like.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel mat for use in a bath tub, for example, to keep a person from slipping on the glossy surface thereof, particularly when the surface is wet with water, although of course the invention has many other uses and it is not meant to be limited to this use only.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mat made of a cellular structure with suction means embodied therein to anchor the mat upon a glossy surface.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bath mat made of a foam-like structure provided with gripping means to properly secure the mat to the desired surface, which foam-like structure provides a I soft cushion upon which to stand, kneel, or work.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel bath mat or the like that can be easily made into a desired size without requiring elaborate machinery or the like, and which can be readily assembled by unskilled workers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a plastic foam type bath mat provided with a plurality of small apertures therein through which suction means may be inserted.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novel bath mat made of a cellular foam structure having suction means connected thereto to prevent the mat from slipping on a glossy surface, which suction means are detachably connected thereto by a novel pin arrangement, so that they may be readily replaced if for any reason they should become damaged or lose their suction power.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel bath mat provided with apertures for connecting a plurality of suction members so that the mat can be anchored on either of its sides to a glossy surface.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention may be readily apparent from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the bath mat embodied in the present invention illustrated positioned in a bath tub;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view of the bath mat embodied in the present invention with tion means on the bottom of the mat;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 2 illustrating the details of connecting the suction means to the mat;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along lines 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a detail view of the manner in which the suction means are assembled to the cellular bath mat.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a bath tub having a continuous side wall 11 therein and a bottom 12 upon which is disposed the bath mat 13 of the present invention.

The bath mat is a substantially rectangularly shaped structure made of a flexible plastic foam material such as Styrofoam, polyurethane, Curon or the like, which one corner turned upwardly to clearly illustrate the suc- 3,@9l,779 Patented June 4, 1963 ice forms a cellular structure so that when weight is placed upon it, the material is compressed and acts as a cushion.

Mat 13 is provided with a plurality of spaced circular apertures or passages 14 therein adapted to receive suction members 15 for providing means to anchor or secure the mat to a glossy surface such as the bottom 12 of bath tub 10 shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 3 the suction member comprises a centrally disposed cylindrical stem 16 with enlarged integral suction cups 17 and 18 formed on opposite ends thereof. The suction members are preferably made of natural rubber though they may be made of synthetic rubber or other flexible resilient material of an elastomeric nature. The outer perimeter of a portion of suction cups 17 and 18 is provided with rectangular strips 19 and 20 formed integral therewith and of the same material for detachably connecting the suction member to the mat 13.

Each strip is provided with an elongated slit 22 therein adapted to receive a flexible pin 23 therethrough for securing the suction members to the mat. Pin 23 is made from a flexible plastic or it may be made from natural rubber and is provided with identical heads 24 on the opposite ends thereof. The pin extends through a small aperture or hole 25 disposed in the mat adjacent each large aperture 14 therein to receive the pin through it.

In assembling the mat of the present invention, a piece of Styrofoam first has a number of apertures or holes 14 punched therein in spaced relationship with each other according to the number of suction members desired to be mounted on the mat, and also has a small aperture 25 punched therein adjacent each aperture 14. Thereafter a suction member 15 is disposed in each opening 14 by bending or flexing the flexible suction cups 18 to strip 21) so that they can be maneuvered through the small apertures and thereafter pulled into the position shown in FIG. 3, with the outer portion of the suction cups 17 and 18 pressing against the portion 27 of the foam material surrounding the opening. It will be noted from FIG. 3 particularly that the stem 16 of the suction member is shorter than the free natural state thickness of the foam mat so that the suction cups compress the portion of foam material therebetween so that the assembled suction cups have their outer peripheral portion in lateral alignment with the top and bottom of the mat.

Preferably, the foam mat is five-eighths of an inch in thickness while the stem 16 of the suction member is approximately three-sixteenths of an inch in length. The diameter of the suction cups is preferably one inch, and the length of the rectangular strip is preferably threefourths of an inch, while its width is preferably fiveeighths of an inch.

After the suction cup and strip have been threaded through the aperture 14 as hereinbefore described, the rectangular strips 19 and 20 and the suction member is rotated or turned so that the slits 22 in the rectangular strips are disposed in substantial vertical alignment with the small aperture 25 adjacent the large aperture 14. Thereafter the pin 23 is inserted through a slit 22 in one of the strips and threaded through opening 25 in the foam structure until it extends beyond the other side of the mat, as shown in FIG. 5, after which the strip 19 is then bent so that the head 24 of the pin extends therethrough, thus securely clamping the suction cup and strip to the mat. If desired, of course, pin 23 may be first inserted through opening 25 and then the heads 24 may be pulled through the slits 22.

Thus from the foregoing detailed description, it will be observed that the present invention provides an economical and easily assembled mat for use on a glossy or slippery surface upon which a person may stand, work i 3 or kneel. It has many uses, such as a kneeler for a person should one be required to clean floors and the like and will properly cushion the knees while preventing slippage. It may be used as adoor matalso if desired, a church kneeler, or even to rest the feet on after a hard day of work. The suction means embodied in the invention enable an unskilled person to readily replace any suction members, if desired, and further provides a means for anchoring the suction member in a predetermined area inthe mat; which suction means will not come loose therefrom, except when deliberately detached. The present invention further provides a mat having novel suction means connected thereto so that the mat may be turned and used on one side or the other side.

Inasmuch as various changes may be made in the form, location and arrangement of the parts in the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A mat device comprising a plastic foam structure with apertures therein, suction members consisting of a stem with suction cups on its ends and strip means on said cups having a slit therein, said stem being disposed in said aperture, and pin means extending through slits to detachably secure the suction member to said structure.

2. A mat device comprising a flat plastic foam structure With spaced apertures'therein, suction members consisting of a stem with suction cups on its ends, strip means having a slit therein formed adjacent the suction cups, said stem being disposed in an aperture, said structure having a small aperture adjacent each spaced aperture, a slit being disposed in alignment with each small aperture, and pin means extending through said small aperture and slit to securely anchor said suction members to said structure.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said stem is substantially shorter than the free thickness of said foam structure so said suction cups compress the portion of structure surrounding said apertures.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said suction cups are circular and said strip means is a rectangle.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said strip means extends outwardly from the periphery of said suction cups.

6. Suction means for use with a foam structure mat comprising a resilient stem with resilient suction cups on its end, a resilient strip formed adjacent the periphery of each cup having a slit therein for receiving a pin therethrough.

7. In combination, a resilient suction member and resilient pin means for securing the suction member to a resilient foam mat, said member comprising a stem with suction cups on the opposite ends and a strip formed adjacent the periphery of each cup having a slit therein,

said pin means having heads on the opposite ends adapted to be inserted through said slits to lock the suction member to the mat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,131,156 Yardley Sept. 27, 1938 2,167,178 Kohlstadt July 25, 1939 2,466,502 Stiller Apr. 5, i949 2,522,612 Harben Sept. 19, 1950 2,896,889 Hershberger et a1. July 28, 1959 

1. A MAT DEVICE COMPRISING A PLASTIC FOAM STRUCTURE WITH APERTURES THEREIN, SUCTION MEMBERS CONSISTING OF A STEM WITH SUCTION CUPS ON ITS ENDS AND STRIP MEANS ON SAID CUPS HAVING A SLIT THEREIN, SAID STEM BEING DISPOSED IN SAID APERTURE, AND PIN MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SLITS TO DETACHABLY SECURE THE SUCTION MEMBER TO SAID STRUCTURE. 